SmarTrip®

What Is a SmarTrip® Card?

A SmarTrip® card is a permanent, rechargeable card used to pay Metrorail and local bus system fares. It's plastic, like a credit card, and is embedded with a special computer chip that keeps track of the value of the card.

Using a SmarTrip® card is fast and easy. Instead of inserting a farecard through the Metrorail faregate slot, you simply touch the SmarTrip® card to the circular targets on top of or inside station faregates. Likewise, you can tap the SmarTrip® farebox on Metrobus to pay your fare with SmarTrip®.

Creating or Managing a SmarTrip® Account

With an online SmarTrip® account, it's easy to:

Add value and passes to your card and take advantage of our Auto Reload process

View your card balance and usage history

Register and manage multiple cards (e.g., cards of family members)

Report a lost/stolen card and transfer the balance to a replacement card

If your registered card is lost or stolen, you don't lose the value. For a $2 card replacement fee, we'll issue you a new SmarTrip® card with the value on the card at the time you notified us it was lost or stolen

A reduced fare SmarTrip® card is available for senior citizens and people with disabilities. To purchase a Senior SmarTrip® card, you must provide proof of age. People with disabilities must submit a completed Reduced Fare Program Application or valid Medicare card with photo ID to the Transit Accessibility Center at 600 5th St NW, Washington, DC 20001.

Using the MTA CharmCard® on SmarTrip®

The CharmCard® is a rechargeable fare card issued by the Maryland Transit Administration. CharmCard® users may use the web services offered on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority website to manage aspects of their card. CharmCard&reg users can follow the links below to: